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Declaration
The State of Ohio, Highland County ss:
On the 28th day of October AD 1833 personally appeared in
open court before the Court of Common Pleas now sitting
William Manker a resident of said county aged 68 years who
being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make
the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of
Congress passed June 7 1832.
That he entered the service of the
United States under the following named officers & served
as herein stated:
The following interrogatives were put by said
Court to said applicant to which the annexed answers were returned.
1st & 2 Where & in what year were you born? Answer I was born in the state
of Maryland about 30 miles from Baltimore on the 7th day of
January AD 1765
2nd Question. Have you any record of your age? Answer. I have not.
3rd Question. Where were you living when called into service, where have
you lived since the revolutionary war, & where do you now live?
Answer. I lived when called into service in Berkley County Virginia
After the close of the war lived there 8 years, I then moved to Hampshire
County Va., & lived there about 8 years -- moved to Fayette County Pa.,
lived there 2 years -- moved to Belmont County Ohio lived there
13 years & moved to Clinton County Ohio lived there 3 years & moved to
Highland County Ohio where I have ever since resided.
4th Question How were you called into service?
Answer The first tour of my service I was drafted for the 3rd I
volunteers.
5th State the names of some of the regular officers who were with
the troops when you served such continental and militia regiments
as you recollect & the general circumstances of your service
-----In the month of October 1781, I was drafted for the
Virginia Militia at the County of Berkley in said state for a six
months tour. In said tour of my service I served under Captain
William Baldwin & in the Regiment commanded by Colonel
Riddle. Soon after I was drafted I marched under said
officers towards Yorktown Virginia which was then
occupied by the British army under General Cornwallis
& besieged by the American army under General Washington.
Our intention was to join the American army, but before we
arrived at Yorktown the British army had surrendered & a part
of the prisoners were on their way towards Winchester under a
guard -- We were ordered by our commanding officer to join this guard
& we marched to Winchester where I served out my time of six months
in guarding said prisoners. After which I received a written
discharge from my Captain at said town of Winchester for six months
service & returned home.---
In July 1790 I volunteered for the Pennsylvania Militia at
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Redstone old fort in Brownsville in the State of Pennsylvania
to serve against the indians. I served in this town under Captain
William Moore & in the regiment commanded by Colonel
John Hardin & Colonel McMullen. General Harmen was
our commanding officer. We marched to the mouth of the
Muskigum North Western Territory. We took water there &
landed at Fort Washington at the mouth of Licking. We remained
there about 15 days when we marched up the little Miami
river to the Maumes towns against the indians (Shawnee &
Wyandotte), Near the old indian town of Chillicoth the army
encamped & I was sent out by from the encampment under
Colonel Harden with 50 or 60 others against the indians on the
Maumes. We were attacked by the indians a few miles west of the
Scioto river. Several of our party were killed & wounded & many
of the indians were killed. We burnt several indian towns on the
Scioto river & then rejoined the main army & commenced our march
towards Fort Washington. Before we had gone far towards said
fort I was again sent out under Colonel Harden, Major Miller
& Major McMullen. We marched to St. Joseph's river & had a hard
battle there with the indians in which several of our officers
& soldiers were killed & wounded. Our part claimed the victory &
remained on the field of battle several hours after the firing ceased.
About 150 of the men were killed. The indians were much
superior to us in numbers & we retreated towards the main army
which we soon after joined & continued our march to
Fort Washington. I remained at Fort Washington until I served
out my term of service of eight months when I was discharged
by my Captain. I received after my said tour a written discharge.
I served in my tour of 8 months as orderly sergeant with the company
commanded by said Capt. Wm. Moore.
6 Question Did you ever received a written discharge? A. I received
written discharges after both tours of my service, both of which
I have since lost. Regis Molewley, Lewis Duckwall, John Smith, Samuel Bell,
Anus Evans & many others will testify as to my good character for
veracity & as of their belief of my services as a soldier of the
revolution. There is no clergyman in my neighborhood.
This applicant further represents that he has no documentary evidence
except an affidavit made by Joseph Natson on the 28th day of October
1811 which is hereunto attached nor does he know of any living
witnesses by whom he could prove his service.
He hereby relinquished his every claim whatever to a pension but the
present & declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the
agency of any state And further that this applicant has had two
wives by whom he has had 24 children, 17 of whom are boys!!!
William Manker
Sworn to and subscribed in open court the day and year
aforesaid-- Samuel Bell Clerk